Mobil 1 ??? - 6,000 Miles - 2008 Mercedes C300

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: BobFout
Formula M is 229.51/229.31, M1 0w40 is not.

You're thinking of Formula M ESP. He is talking about Formula M (without the ESP designation) which carries 229.5 spec and is supposedly sold by MB dealers.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Ayrton
I just did note the owners manual said to choose viscosity based on the low temperature.

Yes, but if you remember the image I posted in your other thread, both 5w-40 and 0w-40 can be used across the entire temperature spectrum.

 

[Ayrton]

Originally Posted By: BobFout
Formula M is 229.51/229.31, M1 0w40 is not.


Bob you point out the other big problem. This is too confusing for people.

There is Formula M that is 229.5 just like M1 0w40.


There is a third product that you are speaking of (actually much better known than regular Formula M), which is called ESP Formula M 229.51.



I sent a letter to ExxonMobil, I'm sure I'll get a canned response, but at least I tried.

 

[BobFout]

BITOGers,

Doh! I'd never heard of the non-ESP Formula M 5w40 until today! It just looks like the pre-cursor to Formula M ESP 5w40.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Ayrton
I think I'm going to buy a bottle of the ESP (diesel) version 229.51 spec. I'm going to send virgin sample to Blackstone, then I *might* be able to determine definitively.

For example, if the ESP doesn't have Moly, I would know.

ESP does have moly in similar amounts. What's different is Calcium level - ESP seems to have less of it:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1620062#Post1620062

 

[Ayrton]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Ayrton
I think I'm going to buy a bottle of the ESP (diesel) version 229.51 spec. I'm going to send virgin sample to Blackstone, then I *might* be able to determine definitively.

For example, if the ESP doesn't have Moly, I would know.

ESP does have moly in similar amounts. What's different is Calcium level - ESP seems to have less of it:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1620062#Post1620062


Yeah, I will be doing the VOA on the ESP version this week.

The Calcium and Phosphorus should be lower than this analysis I did here which was the non-ESP version.

I don't know how I ended up talking about the same thing. Sorry about that.

I did finally find an UOA on the Shell Ultra 5w40 though. Its additives looked similar to my non-ESP Formula M, not super rich like in the traditional Penn Ultra formulas on store shelves already. Therefore, it seems to me M1 0w40 will still be the best choice for us. Glad I didn't order the ultra euro. This non_ESP Formula M seems just as good as it. It would therefore be my 2nd choice after 0w40 M1, which I will now drag to my dealer each service.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Ayrton

I did finally find an UOA on the Shell Ultra 5w40 though. Its additives looked similar to my non-ESP Formula M, not super rich like in the traditional Penn Ultra formulas on store shelves already.

I plan on doing PUE 5w-40 VOA in a couple of months, when I send some other samples for analysis, unless someone beats me to it. In all honesty though, I don't expect this PUE VOA to be much different from the PPE VOA that we already have.

 

[Ayrton]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Ayrton

I did finally find an UOA on the Shell Ultra 5w40 though. Its additives looked similar to my non-ESP Formula M, not super rich like in the traditional Penn Ultra formulas on store shelves already.

I plan on doing PUE 5w-40 VOA in a couple of months, when I send some other samples for analysis, unless someone beats me to it. In all honesty though, I don't expect this PUE VOA to be much different from the PPE VOA that we already have.


Thanks I just used several terms searching. I probably don't know the lingo well enough. Can you tell me where to look for the PPE VOA?

Thanks.

 

[Quattro Pete]

I could have sworn I just saw the PP Euro 5w-40 VOA in the VOA section. Can't find it now... ugh..

 

[Ayrton]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I could have sworn I just saw the PP Euro 5w-40 VOA in the VOA section. Can't find it now... ugh..


No worries then. So how many miles on your C300? Have you ever done a UOA?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Currently at 29K miles. We bought it with 23K miles and I just did the first oil change with M1 0w-40 this past weekend. The next one will be service B which includes trans fluid change, so I'll probably let the dealer do it all, at which point they'll pour in whatever oil they use. By the way, some of the MB dealers here use Valvoline 5w-40 instead of M1.

No UOAs yet.

 

[Ayrton]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Currently at 29K miles. We bought it with 23K miles and I just did the first oil change with M1 0w-40 this past weekend. The next one will be service B which includes trans fluid change, so I'll probably let the dealer do it all, at which point they'll pour in whatever oil they use. By the way, some of the MB dealers here use Valvoline 5w-40 instead of M1.

No UOAs yet.


Yeah, I've heard about the Valvoline.

You won't take your own oil with you? That is what I'm going to do now I guess. I just surely wouldn't want the ESP version.

I'm trying to decide on the transmission flush if I will do it now at 3 year mark, or wait until the full 39,000 miles, which is what the owners manual claims you can do, miles not time. I'd prefer to wait.

Enjoy the car and the oil changes.